Using Positive Childhood Memory in Marketing
There is a scientific saying, “Monkey see, Monkey do,” it relates to the essay, “Kid Kustomers” by Eric Schlosser, how children will see something and do what it takes until they get what they want. He observations is based on the impact of marketing on modern children. Schlosser explains how marketing strategies are made to help company prosper and increase present and future sales of a product. “… growth in children’s advertising has been driven by efforts to increase not just current, but also future, consumption. Hoping that nostalgic childhood memories of a brand will lead to a lifetime of purchases,” business companies wants customers for life and in order to do that they have to attract consumers at a young age. It is simply too create a bigger chance of brand loyalty and they will make purchase throughout their lifetime.
Schlosser also focuses on the different nagging tactics children use to win over their parent(s)/guardian(s). “…McNeal provides marketers with a thorough analysis of ‘children’s requesting styles and appeals.’ He classifies juvenile nagging tactics into seven major categories.” There’s the persistent, forceful, demonstrative, sugar-coated, threatening, and pity nags, all leading to children getting what they want for their parents. In order to attract these young children,” advertisers have to learn about their tastes,” an important aspect of businesses because when a business fail, advertisements will go to waste, especially they amount of money they spend just to put a thirty second clip on a screen.
The Children’s club expand business and help increase sales of a company, which provides the fundamental needs for sales and belonging. Schlosser also later discuss about the use of the internet and how expansion of advertisement and gather marketing research and data got easier. As the world was modernizing, more demands came through. In the past the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act can’t in use around April 2000, having the use of parental permission. The growth of internet was expanding, but the main source of ads were still on television, which seems to be out of control, children wanting everything they see.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) tried to ban all televisions ads directed towards children seven years or younger. Having advertisement on television and the internet may be a risk for children, not only will they become spoiled, but they made be corrupted as a human being. Children should be spending their time outside in the fresh air, playing around, rather than sitting around in their houses watching television. Sitting in front of a television can cause major health issues, like not having enough exercise, which may lead to being overweight causing bigger health issues.
Business needs customers in order to make profit and increase in sales, but to target children is not the right way to do it. Especially there is a section where Schlosser talks about smoke companies, like Camel using cartoons to attract children. One, children should not be smoking at the age of two, and two making an ad that should be for adults is just not right. Children needs to be protected and shielded from advertisement that can harm their well being and their future.
